The door leading from the kitchen swung open, and the round form of Domic pushed into the area behind the bar bearing a plain square wooden chest.  The dark wood and dull metal trim made the container easily forgettable, but the detailed instructions for its care delivered to Tevas by the innkeeper’s agent let the merchant know that it contained something more than just clothing and oddments.  The strain on Domic’s face as he struggled to place it atop the bar bore evidence to the weight of the mysterious contents.

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He heard the laborer grunt in response, but he did not move as directed.  After a long pause, the man in the work-stained tunic finally spoke.  “You’re talking to the innkeeper.”  Tevas’ eyes shifted down to fix his gaze on the man once more as he leaned back against the bar he’d lately been working on.  Arms folded, eyes hooded, and mouth in a half-smirk, the innkeeper said, “You’ll be paid when the goods are here and inspected.  Anything I don’t like you can haul back to your wagon.”

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The merchant’s arrival caused less of a stir than he’d imagined.  The town over the past week had gotten used to the carts and wagons from Brethford, so Tevas did not get the novelty of being the first visitor to the town after the snows cleared.  His carriage did seem to impress some of the residents, however, as Tevas noticed several of them looking at its magnificence and talking in low tones to one another as he looked out the carriage windows.  He willed the sickness in his belly to be still as the carriage swayed up the final rise to the Silver Bear.

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